Ridgewood NJ, a quick drive through Ridgewood and we are still seeing Willet and Weitz campaign signs still occupy planters. This speaks volumee for the candidates lack of understanding and respect for Ridgewood .
The other 4 candidates agreed to honor requests from Village residents and remove their signs. These two candidates refuse. They have shown the Village exactly what their notion of “compromise,” “coming together,” and “respecting your neighbors” is all about. Let’s not be fooled into another four years of this nonsense.
I think we have all had enough with Hudson County Machine Politics .
Ridgewood NJ, a reader points out that the Facebook site “The Truth About Ridgewood” is a censored page created by Ron Simoncini. He does PR work for the developers.
It is a censored site, only positive messages about the garage and high density housing. It supports Richard Brooks . It is creepy, written in the first person but it is difficult to locate Ron’s name. Thinks the lawn signs are great. He also thinks that residents have moved on from the parking issue and are now focusing on Graydon! In his dreams!
There is no positive dialog, just his PR ramblings. There are no Comments. Maybe the only comments were too negative so he censored them.
They did an email blast this morning. Don’t know where he got his mailing list but HS parents think that he may have used the school directory. Lots of unhappy recipients. Man he needs to hire a social media person.
Schools in Florida are renewing a program that monitors their students’ social media activity for criminal or threatening behavior, although it has caused some controversy since its adoption last year.
The school system in Orange County, where Orlando is located, recently told the Orlando Sentinel that the program, which partners the school system with local police departments, has been successful in protecting students’ safety, saying that it led to 12 police investigations in the past year. The school district says it will pay about $18,000 annually for SnapTrends, the monitoring software used to check students’ activity. It’s the same software used by police in Racine, Wis., to track criminal activity and joins a slew of similar social media monitoring software used by law enforcement to keep an eye on the community.
SnapTrends collects data from public posts on students’ social media accounts by scanning for keywords that signify cases of cyberbullying, suicide threats, or criminal activity. School security staff then comb through flagged posts and alert police when they see fit. Research suggests that 23 percent of children and teens have been cyberbullied. Studies connecting social media and suicide have not shown definitive results, but there has been research that suggests that cyberbullying leads to suicide ideation more than traditional bullying.
You might expect a group of teenagers to say they’d stand up to the Islamic State and refuse to convert. But what would you do if push came to shove?
BY DAVID HARRIS
Thu, April 21, 2016
So here’s the scenario.
A teacher in Italy taught her class of 13-year olds all about the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL). At the end of the project she asked her 25 students what they would do if the Islamic State took over their town. All but two reportedly said they would convert to Islam.
It’s somewhat tragic that a mix of classroom education and possibly some media exposure to ISIS barbarism would suck the bravado out of all the kids, other than two die-hard Catholics. But that’s the effect of the threats and actions of ISIS.
In every generation, there are the brave few who stand up to fight against one evil scourge or another, despite the likely great personal sacrifice.
In the Massacre of Verden in 782, Charlemagne is said to have killed 4,500 captive Saxons who rebelled against forced conversion to Roman Catholicism.
Legend has it that the Souliot women in the village of Zalongo in 1803 in Epirus danced and sang as they killed their own babies before committing suicide rather than facing capture by Ottoman-Albanian ruler Ali Pasha and all that would have followed.
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Baseball & Softball Association (RBSA) held its 66th annual Opening Day Parade and Family Fun Day today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Weather held and the parade started at 9 a.m. leaving the Ridgewood train station and heading down East Ridgewood Avenue to Veterans Field. Grand Marshal Jim Griffith led the procession of over 1,000 players from the village’s youth baseball and softball teams . Opening ceremonies were held at Kasschau Band Shell, where Ridgewood High School senior Morgan Mastrangelo sang the national anthem.
New York Mets mascot Mr. Met made a special appearance and he was followed by a visit from the New Jersey Jackals mascot, Jack the Jackal.
Lots of food was available though gourmet food trucks that were brought in . The lineup included the Mac Truck, Pizza Vita Brick Oven Pizza, Jersey Johnny’s Grill, Empanada Guy, Thai Elephant, the Taco truck, Waffles de Lys and Ben & Jerry’s.
As has been the custom in recent years many activities were available for children will including music, carnival games, face painting, spin art and a jumbo inflatable obstacle course and slide. In addition, Veterans Field will have a pavilion showcasing 40 vendors with a mix of unique wares and sports-related items.
Ridgewood Police shut down East Ridgewood, Maple Ave and Franklin Ave by 9am for the Baseball Parade for approximately 45 minutes. This in turn backed up NJT buses and caused a few delays for passengers.
“An Open Conversation and Master Class with Ali Stroker, Broadway Trailblazer” will be presented on Friday, April 29 by the Shen Curriculum for Musical Theater at Yale, in partnership with the Provost Committee on Resources for Students and Employees with Disabilities.
The event, which is part of the Fridays @ Five series, will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Ballroom at 220 York St. It is free and open to the public.
The class will include a conversation and Q&A with Stroker, after which she will give a short performance and lead a master class with Yale performers.
Stroker recently appeared in the acclaimed revival of “Spring Awakening” on Broadway. When she was cast in the Deaf West Theater’s production, she became the first actress in a wheelchair to appear in a Broadway show. Stroker has been paralyzed from the chest down since the age of 2 when she was injured in an automobile accident. Alterations to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre were made so that Stroker could use the backstage areas of the theater. On stage, the actress used a specially constructed “period” wheel chair to fit in with the late 19th-century setting of the show. Stroker participated fully in the show’s elaborate choreography, using her chair to dart around the stage and substituting “wheelies” for some of the leaps called for in the dances.
Ridgewood NJ, Two (2) SUVs damaged and towed, but no individuals requiring ambulance transport following a crash at the intersection of West Ridgewood Avenue and Wilsey Square on Friday morning, 04/22. Ridgewood PD, EMS, and FD units responded.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has increasingly used his perch atop his massive social media platform to speak out on political issues — including immigration reform, the Syrian refugee crisis and solidarity with the Muslim community.
While Zuckerberg’s veiled shot last week at Donald Trump’s call for a wall on the Mexican border was a rare entry into the presidential debate, the Facebook creator has regularly made his views known on debates of the day.
“It’s not just technology defining the youngest working-age population, it’s also a distinct optimism and a desire to do work that matters,” says youth psychologist Dr. Jason Richardson.
“I don’t think millennials lack the work ethic and soft skills that others say they do. Many of those things come with age regardless of when you were born. But I do think millennials have been coddled. Many have an aversion to seek resolutions to problems within themselves – outside of technology.”
Richardson, author of “It’s All BS! We’re All Wrong, And You’re All Right!” (www.drjasonrichardson.com), offers millennials suggestions for expanding their skillset.
• Try more authentic “connections.” Competition among millennials can be fierce, especially when it comes to how your social media profile looks. You can have a thousand friends, “Like” the cool, trendy items and have an impressive bio with the right degree from the right school. More one-on-one time with your peers, however, helps with truly interpersonal settings, including working with people from older generations. • Distinguish yourself by offering your full attention – a rare commodity nowadays. People never have to be bored anymore. If we must wait for anything, we can find distraction in our smartphones, which are on-demand boredom-killers. On the job, dividing your attention while on your phone with clients, management, during conference calls, etc. will not be appreciated. It’s not multitasking when your attention is compromised – a major hindrance in communication. • Take a cue from older generations; grow thicker skin. Today, colleges are catering to students with “safe spaces” in case their feelings are hurt. Professors often warn students of “trigger warnings” in case academic content could be seen as offensive. Older generations were not as coddled, which helps them accept criticism at work. Thin skin can keep you from finding solutions to problems. Learn to accept professional criticism graciously so you may think more clearly on possible solutions. • Base progress on doing good and less on feeling good. Doing good and feeling good don’t always coincide. Remember, you’re the baby who learned to walk despite many failed attempts. You didn’t need to feel good to be successful. Place value in the work and personal gains made as you move forward. Think of yourself as continually developing or becoming. You are more than what’s written on your social media profile.
“We can’t always control the conditions of this amazing world,” Richardson says, “but you can take control of the amazing you, if you believe you can.”
About Jason Richardson, Psy.D., MBA
Dr. Jason Richardson (www.drjasonrichardson.com) is a psychologist who earned his principles for self-improvement as a world-traveling athlete, doctoral student and student of life. He maintained top-10 status on the professional BMX circuit for most of his 15-year career, retiring with a gold medal at the 2007 Pan American Games.
Ridgewood NJ, Dan Schlossberg will sign his new book: When the Braves Ruled the Diamond along with Erik Sherman with his new book: Kings of Queens. Bookends in Ridgewood , Saturday, April 23rd @ 1:00pm.
Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.
Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.
First In Line Certificate use is the the discretion of Bookends. Blackout dates may apply.
Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.
While we try to ensure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed. We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.
Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-0726
The Flint water crisis is a drinking water contamination issue in Flint, Michigan, United States that started in April 2014. After Flint changed its water source from treated Detroit Water and Sewerage Department water (which was sourced from Lake Huron as well as the Detroit River) to the Flint River (to which officials had failed to apply corrosion inhibitors), its drinking water had a series of problems that culminated with lead contamination, creating a serious public health danger. From Wikipedia.
My point is that if we lose control of Ridgewood water we are in danger of getting worse water. Yes, there are problems, that is why we must be ready to remedy them, even if it means, like Fairlawn, to put water filters on wells, regardless of cost over a period to years. To pay higher water rates etc.
Yes, we must and did finally put a warning on cigarettes, ban trans fats, warn about the hazards of hormones and antibiotics in food and putting too many herbicides and pesticides and lawn, and dangers of polluted air from vehicles and so on. Many states in the U.S. have polluted water, in many cities in Jersey, the people have to use bottled water, and even bottled water has a bad rap now because it could be more polluted than local tap. Let’s admit there is a water crisis and we must be prepared to solve it, no matter what the financial cost, rather than turn our heads and look away and try to sell it away.
It is important for those voting in the upcoming election to consider who you are voting for as; the new council members will be determining the fate of our Village for years to come. The following video describes why. It has been my position all along that we need to develop the downtown of Ridgewood in a sensible and pragmatic way such that the character of our town is maintained; not only in its look and feel but in how many people we can reasonably accommodate – which in turn affects how we treat each other. Don’t get me wrong – I am for development. However, too much development will likely result in overcrowding in our downtown and; will create a different dynamic in our dealings with each other. The slate of Evan Weitz, Janice Willet and Richard Brooks will aggressively move forward with the policies of the current council majority. These policies benefit the few to the detriment of the many. Thus the bad policy making and mismanagement of Aronsohn, Pucciarelli, and Hauck will be perpetuated. If this is a concern of yours and you do not want our Village turned into something different – I would ask for your vote. My first priority is to ensure I do what is best for the entire Village and not for special interests.
I am a lifelong resident of the Willard School area and might happily live the rest of my life without going near the Valley Hospital except when I need its excellent services or am visiting nearby friends.
That said, I don’t accept the “greater good”argument you raise. I am gravely concerned with the effect of ten years of construction on our school children at BF and Travell as well as on Valley’s immediate neighbors. And, yes, perhaps one could say I am not being entirely altruistic – – but that’s because I realize if you hurt part of the whole without good cause, you hurt the entirety of the whole.
For example, as property prices decline near Valley due to construction and expansion, so do prices throughout the entire town. And even if the reduction in real estate value is confined to that portion of town, that means the rest of our taxes go up to make up for the shortfall resulting from the reduction in real estate prices. And think of the young couple that has heard great things about Ridgewood and for the first time pulls down Linwood avenue to go see their realtor. At the first traffic light they come to, they will be greeted by a 1,700 car garage. Does that garage foster the image of a town they want to move into, or does it cause one of them to turn to the other and say, “honey, take a right over to Glen and let’s go check out Waldwick and Ho-Ho-Kus?”
And in terms of three “minds being made up,” I think Voigt hit the nail on the head when he noted at the debate that he just met this week with the Valley CEO, its director of communications and its legal counsel. He went alone to discuss the construction and see what compromises might be reached. If you listened to the debate, you heard he did not get much of a response. Hache, too, spoke eloquently regarding his affinity for the Hospital in contrast to his concerns over the expansion. So, I don’t think the they (or Walsh) are closed to the notion of compromise and discussion. In fact, I think the three have demonstrated just the opposite.
I can’t think of a single person who wants to see Valley shut down. But, by the same token, are the goals of the Valley expansion worth sacrificing the standards of living for a whole section of town? I view Voigt, Hache and Walsh as three candidates who are not willing to sacrifice that part of town, or any part of town for that matter, in the pursuit of some undefined goal of “progress.”
That’s why this election really is all about where we live and how, and whether we want to maintain the vibrant vestiges of our Village life or change into something else. Perhaps I am being selfish here, and not thinking of the greater “regional good,” but don’t years and years of tax payments lead all of us to vote for candidates who want to preserve the Village for Villagers?
Ridgewood NJ, Driving down Linwood this morning and I was able to pick out the mayor’s house because it was the only house on the street with Brooks, Willett, and Weitz signs out.
Funny how he was able to make the determination to support the three candidates that will continue the destruction of the town.
The lack of judgment is astounding but par for the course.
Ridgewood NJ, Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises Subcommittee Chairman Scott Garrett (NJ-05), delivered the following remarks at a hearing entitled “Continued Oversight of the SEC’s Offices and Divisions”:
Congressman Scott Garrett’s opening remarks as prepared for delivery:
Today, the Subcommittee will continue its efforts to conduct vigorous oversight of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in particular the individual offices which make up the SEC
In the last two years, our Subcommittee has heard testimony from the directors of the Trading and Markets, Corporations Finance, Enforcement, and Investment Management Divisions at the SEC
These hearings have allowed us to take a more thorough look at the agency’s operations, rulemaking agenda, and enforcement practices so that we can better understand whether the SEC is appropriately carrying out its three-fold mission to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and (last but certainly not least!) facilitate capital formation
So I welcome our witnesses today and look forward to hearing their testimony – I hope that between the four of you, we are able to cover a lot of ground
Back in 2000, the SEC’s operating budget was about $369 million; today, the SEC has a budget authority for Fiscal Year 2016 of a little over $1.6 billion
And the SEC has recently submitted a request to bring its Fiscal Year 2017 budget up to nearly $1.8 billion
So during much of the time when Congress has been accused of starving the SEC of the funds it needs to fulfill its mission, its budget has actually quadrupled in the last fifteen years
It would be one thing if this four-fold increase in funding coincided with an agency that has become four times as effective
Instead, we are likely to look back at this period as a time when the SEC missed some of the greatest frauds in history, was ill-prepared for the financial crisis of 2008, failed to properly incorporate economic analysis into rulemakings, and, more recently, has often times been complicit in advancing the priorities of special interests
Unfortunately, instead of addressing some of the fundamental structural issues at the SEC, the Dodd-Frank Act created more offices within the agency – two of which we will hear from today
Dodd-Frank also granted the agency vast new rulemaking authority that the SEC has often times struggled to implement appropriately
For example, while the SEC has made strides towards improving the economic analysis that underlies its rulemakings, there is still much more work to be done in this area
It’s not acceptable for the SEC to simply say “Congress made us do it” and therefore assume that a rulemaking is beneficial, as the SEC did with its “pay-ratio” rule last year
It’s also incumbent upon the SEC to clearly articulate a problem or market failure that their rules are intended to address, which should be obvious but is still unfortunately lacking in many of the Dodd-Frank rules being implemented
So I’m eager to hear about some of the steps the SEC is taking to further improve its economic analysis
I also continue to have concerns over recent rulemakings related to credit rating agencies
While there is broad agreement that certain provisions in Dodd-Frank – such as the removal of references to credit ratings in regulations – were much needed and directly address one of the causes of the financial crisis, I worry that many of the other micro-managing rules included in Dodd-Frank have had the effect of further stifling competition in the credit rating agency industry.
